Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5: 14 - 15 NKJV
This morning I jump into the weeds once again. Well, let's just say that I was pushed into them this time. Pushed, although with good intentions, by a friend who chooses to remain nameless. Yes, once again I attempt to delve into the inner workings of the mind and intentions of God. For what began as a well intentioned conversation this week soon spiraled into that ages old question of why our loving heavenly Father would allow bad things to happen to seemingly good people. Why would a God whose very identity is defined by love suddenly throw all of that aside and allow the suffering of His children. Indeed, we see this every day so don't tell me that you've never entertained such thoughts. I have. I watched my own mother suffering in the final days of her life, all while offering up prayers for her recovery. Well, what's interesting is that through my experience I learned a lot about the "will" of the Father. We're told that if we ask for anything according to the Fathers will, that it is ours {1 John 5:14}. Well, how many times have you asked, or pleaded for something which you felt was within the Fathers will but ended up being disappointed? I get it. What I learned from my own experience was that it wasn't about me and what I needed at all. In fact, in retrospect I have felt embarrassed at times for being so self centered. See, my mother was in pain and she was suffering greatly. Yet, here I was begging and pleading with the God I know for her recovery. I didn't want to lose her. But what would her recovery looked like? More pain and suffering? Looking back, God handled this situation as lovingly as He could. My mother is now with the Lord and she is no longer in pain. Meanwhile, I'm left to ponder what the hell just happened. My mother was a very good person, anyone who ever met her would agree. So, why did such bad things happen to her? Well, if I knew the answer to that I would bottle it and sell it for a thousand dollars a pop. The truth is that we've all come to that crossroads where we question why it is that God does what He does. To this I can honestly say that this one is definitely above my pay grade.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55: 8 - 9 NKJV
So, what is to be our last hope and refuge? I've been raised in a Christian belief system that promises that God indeed answers prayer. Then, along comes a preacher to toss a wrench into all I once thought I knew about the Lord and prayer. That is where I find myself this morning. Why do bad things happen to good people? Specifically, why does God seemingly answer prayers for relief from the fire disaster our area has been experiencing while allowing His children to lose their homes, livelihoods and lives? I know plenty of people, Christian and non, who have been praying for a break in the weather for relief from the fires. Well, this weekend the weather did change as it so often does. Do we count this as a blessing from God or as simply the normal operations of the climate He created? Any way you look at it, He is involved. If I could play the devils advocate I would pose the question, what did those people who have been so affected by the fires do to piss God off? Did they not go to church? Was their tithe not enough? Someone please attempt to answer that. However, as the preacher told me, the God we follow is not one we need to barter with. On that I agree. We definitely don't need to bargain for our Lords favor. However, knowing this, we also need to understand that there will be times when God does things which we might deem...un-Godlike. The prophet Isaiah needed to be reminded of this himself {Isaiah 55:8-9}. Yes, I do have a unique relationship with Christ {Galatians 2:20}. Yes, I do believe that I live as Him. But, damnit, that same question which drove me into the weeds in the first place is still out there. Jesus, why do you save some yet allow others to suffer? There, I said it. This in no way means that I don't recognize Christ in me, only that He tends to sometimes do things which I cannot wrap my human understanding around. Maybe that's just it, that we try so hard to see Jesus through our humanity. He is not above allowing us to understand why He does what He does, if we take the time to listen. The preacher told me that once also. Smart man that pulpit pounder.
~Scott~
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